Wolf Blood
by lupine-lunaris
Summary: Fleeing from a traumatic past, Ever distracts herself from her memories by immersing herself in thievery with the help of her best friend and companion, Katya. They stay in hiding, living on their thieving and depending on each other. But it isn't long before they are caught—by none other than the Fullmetal Alchemist.
1. тнє dσg αиd тнє ωσℓf

"Hey! Get back here!"

The two thieves ran from the angry shopkeeper with astonishing speed, slipping easily through the bewildered crown of spectators.

The taller one had a hood drawn up over their hair, a wooden mask concealing their facial features in the shape of a carved wolf. A large bag of stolen goods was tucked under their arm as they darted down the streets, accompanied by their companion.

The shorter one, with an identical hood and a wooden fox mask, turned their head as they ran. "No can do, old man!" chirped a high, feminine voice from behind the mask. "We need this food!"

"You can't get away with this!" The elderly shopkeeper was fuming, red in the face and shaking his fist. "I'll contact the military, and then you'll be caught and put in a cell! You thieving brats!"

There was no response. The two figures, clad in their dark clothes, had halted at the corner of the street. The taller one stood with one hand on the stone wall of a building, their companion waiting beside them. The old man started forward, face flushed with victory, but a loud grinding noise stopped him before he had taken two steps.

A long series of stone slabs had erupted from the side of the building, creating a heavy set of stairs leading up to the roof. The two thieves nimbly leaped up the stone slabs, taking their stolen goods with them. The crowd gaped, amazed at the feat.

The two figures soon reached the top of the grey stairs, disappearing over the edge of the roof. A long, shuddering groan followed their quick escape, the eery noise straining against the air as the large stone slabs retreated back into the wall of the building.

The watching crowd broke out into small groups, the worried witnesses speaking to each other in small whispers.

"… had to be alchemy…"

"… no transmutation circle…"

"…military won't be happy…"

The spectators gradually trickled away from the scene, leaving the startled shopkeeper standing in the middle of the street. The old man stood for a moment more, mouth opening and closing in silent stutters, until he was able to speak—or shout, to be exact.

"DAMN IT!" The man tore his hat off his head and threw it onto the ground, grinding it into the dusty pavement with one foot. "It's time to call the military! That's the third time those two whippersnappers have stolen from me this week! And they're some of those darned alchemists, no less…" The irritable mutters faded away slowly as the man trooped back into his shop.

No one had noticed the two witnesses that still stood in the empty street.

One, a large suit of metal armor, glanced down at his companion, a short boy with startling golden hair and bright golden eyes. A young, naive voice echoed from the armor in a questioning tone.

"Alchemy with no transmutation circle, huh, brother?" The two companions were walking now, heading towards the corner where the two thieves had stood before making their escape.

A grim smirk pulled at the shorter boy's lips.

"Looks like we've found ourselves a Stone, Al."

* * *

Ever and Katya leaped from roof to roof, the wind whistling against their wooden masks.

Ever felt elated. She always got excited whenever she and her younger companion were almost caught during a thievery. It was because of her wolf side, she supposed. The feral aspects of her mind had always loved the exercise and thrill of running from an angry shopkeeper.

She smiled, her lips pulling into a bright grin underneath her wooden wolf mask. She and Katya had gotten a good haul this time; nearly enough to keep them fed for three days or so. She hugged the large bundle she had tucked under one arm closer to her body. She couldn't afford to drop precious food and waste it.

"Ever!" Katya had slowed up ahead, stopping at the edge of a building and waiting for the nimble teen to catch up. The younger girl's dark blue eyes could be seen behind the fox mask she wore, and they gave Ever a short glance as the taller girl halted beside her. "I think we should go down now."

Ever peered over the edge of the building. A dark alleyway met her observant gaze, completely empty and abandoned. She looked from side to side, reaching out with her canine senses. No one.

"Fine, let's go," she said, pressing her scarred palms to the roof below her. Stone scraped against stone as large, grey slabs jutted from the side of the building. Katya jumped swiftly from ledge to ledge, Ever following close behind.

"Wasn't that fun?" Katya said happily as Ever thumped to the ground beside her. She had drawn her hood down and taken off her mask; her pale blond hair looked almost grey in the darkness of the alley. "That old man was so angry!"

"He sure was," Ever agreed as she removed her mask. One eye a strange, wolfish gold, the other a bright icy blue, her gaze sparked in a friendly manner as she glanced at her partner. She took down her own hood, shaking out her auburn hair. "Old geezers like that are always the best to steal from."

She handed Katya the stolen goods, turning to the stone stairs behind her and raising her scarred palms. The circles and runes carved into her hands looked pale against her skin as they seemed to glow with a blueish light. The grinding, scraping noise sounded once more as she pressed her hands against the wall of the building, sending the stone ledges back into the concrete-like surface.

Ever finished the transmutation, stepping back and rubbing her palms together. "Do you want to just hang out for the rest of the day?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at Katya. "We won't have to go stealing for a few days after this haul."

The younger girl let out a noncommittal _hmm_, gazing forward at the end of the alleyway. "Let's just eat for now," she decided with a smile. "You did snag some fruit, right? I'm starving!" She rummaged through the bag she held, making a triumphant noise when she drew out a large, red apple.

Ever narrowed her eyes as Katya crunched into the fruit. Something didn't feel right. She tilted her head, letting her keen senses pick up any hints of activity. Her eyes widened. Two people were coming this way, and one of them was—well, she didn't care to find out what was wrong with them. "Katya, people are coming! Let's go!"

Katya jerked with surprise, hastily shoving the half-eaten apple back into the bag and tucking it under her arm as Ever faced the wall. She raised her hands, but a voice sounded at the end of the alleyway before she could begin the transmutation.

"Hey! We need to talk!"

Ever eyed the short boy, letting her gaze then travel over to the large suit of armor standing beside him. She cast out her senses, curling her lip at what she found. An automail arm and leg—and an empty shell of metal. These people had to have committed some kind of taboo, to be burdened with bodies like that.

She studied the shorter boy again, her sharp eye now catching the silver chain visible hanging under his red coat. She felt her wolf side tense, triggering a low snarl to emit from her throat. She felt Katya stiffen beside her. She knew that if Ever's canine aspects were on guard, whatever they were facing was dangerous.

The boy smirked arrogantly, stepping forward. "We just need some questions answered, but we'll have to take you to the military if you resist."

Ever took a step back farther into the shadows of the alley. They probably couldn't see her face right now due to the darkness; she had to get her mask on before they saw her. "Katya," she murmured. "Put on your mask before they can see you clearly. One of them isn't normal—we shouldn't fight them. Leave the food. You understand?"

The younger girl nodded, dropping the bag of spoils onto the pavement and strapping her fox mask back onto her face. Ever picked her wooden mask off the ground, attaching it to her face as quickly as she could. They had to get out quickly, or the military would catch them.

"Well?" The boy's voice had gone dangerously low. "You gonna answer us or not?"

It was Katya that gave him a reply, a slight sneer in her tone. "We don't listen to dogs of the military," she snapped. "Now back off, pipsqueak." Ever noticed with grim amusement that the blond boy was rather short—maybe even as short as Katya, who had to be at least a year or two younger than him.

"_Who're you calling a tiny little gnat that you can't even see with a microscope? Huh?! HUH?! You little brat!_" The state alchemist was spitting with rage, his face a bright, livid red. Ever could literally feel the anger wafting off of him, due to her wolf side. Under the mask, she smiled. At least now they knew how to get under the dog's skin.

Katya must have realized the same thing, because she spoke to Ever in a low whisper. "I'll keep making him angry. You transmute a way for us to escape." Raising her voice, she yelled at the pair at the end of the alleyway. "Well, it's a fitting nickname, pipsqueak! You're so tiny, I bet I could step on you without even noticing!"

"_What?!_" The alchemist was practically fuming now, attempting to charge towards Katya as his metal companion held him by the shoulders. "Lemme go! I'll beat her up and drag her to the military half-dead! You hear that, shrimp?! _I'm gonna get you!_"

"Brother!" The armor had finally spoken. Ever, palms pressed against the wall, paused with surprise at the naive tone of the metal suit's voice. But then again, he was hollow. Based off of the alchemy books she had studied, she would've dared to say someone had transmuted a human soul into the metal body… But she couldn't see a reason why. _Hmm._

"Brother, calm down! They're trying to distract you!" Ever froze. _Shit_. She focused her energy into the stone wall, feeling her palms heat up slightly. She heard the rumbling of the stone slabs as they began to shudder out of the wall, but she was wrenched away as something heavy slammed into her.

"Let me go!" She struggled fiercely against the large suit of armor that held her down, a long snarl coming from her throat. She felt the armor jolt with surprise at the feral noise, but she continued to writhe in panic. "_Let me go!_"

"Please! We don't want to hurt you!" The armor looked over its shoulder at the short boy, who had twisted Katya's arm painfully behind her back. The young girl was jerking as she tried to get free from his grip, face twisted with pain. "Brother, let her go!"

Ever growled at the alchemist when he continued to hold Katya's arm. "I swear on my life," she said, hearing a wolfish tone of anger entering her voice. "Keep hurting her and _I will throw this hunk of metal off of me and ruin the god damned blood seal that keeps him bound!_"

Everyone froze except for Katya, who wriggled free, leaning tiredly against the wall. "You… know that he's hollow?" the golden-haired boy whispered. "How? What are you? Can you really find things like that out with the Stone?"

Ever shoved at the armor that held her down. "I don't know what Stone you're fucking talking about. Let me up!"

The boy snorted. "Please. Alchemy without a transmutation circle? There's no way you could've done what you did back there without the Stone." He paused for a moment, peering at her. "Unless…"

Katya spoke up, scowling. "She doesn't have a Philosopher's Stone," the girl hissed angrily. "Ever, just show them your palms. I'm pretty sure they'll keep to their word and let us go if we just answer their questions."

Ever let her muscles relax, studying her opponents' postures. It didn't seem like they were hiding anything or lying… "Fine," she mumbled. "Let my arms go." The armor backed up, letting her stand. She slowly held up her palms so that the pale scars were facing the two partners. They stiffened.

"You.. carved a transmutation circle? Into your skin?" The state alchemist sounded horrified and aghast, golden eyes wide with shock. "Why would you do that? Wasn't it painful?"

Ever curled her hands into fists, letting them fall to her sides. "I have them carved into my feet, too. I almost died from infection and blood loss, but it was necessary." She felt a cold mirth enter her tone. "Equivalent exchange, you could call it."

"Equivalent exchange? For what?" The armor was speaking, sounding afraid yet sympathetic. Ever felt her teeth grit.

"I have my reasons," she snapped. "Katya, let's go." Her companion stood up from the wall, drawing her hood up. Ever followed suit, feeling the dark fabric slip over her hair. "We gave you your answers. We'll be leaving now." Reaching out with her senses, she bit her lip at the large amount of people walking around near the alley. It would be hard to jump from building to building with all these people wandering around on the streets.

The boy and the armor backed up, allowing Ever to reach her palms out towards the stone wall. Her palms were just beginning to glow when another voice sounded at the end of the alleyway, making everyone freeze. "I don't think you'll be leaving."

A young man stepped forward, dark hair and onyx eyes matching the shadows of the alley. Gloves, stitched with transmutation circles, covered his hands. Behind him, a blond woman stood, gun at the ready. Behind Ever, Katya let out a fearful murmur. "The Flame Alchemist…"

The man smirked. "Unfortunately, you'll have to come with me, chimera. Thank you, Fullmetal, for leading me here."

* * *

**Whoo! The rewrite of the first chapter of The Wolf Blood Alchemist! I'm sorry if it seems too short or rushed; I'm really trying to make my story chapters longer! ^.^;;**

**Please follow, favorite, and leave a review! (Constructive criticism is always appreciated!)**

**Thanks for reading my story!**

**~Loree**


	2. тнє qυєѕтισиιиg

Ed stiffened immediately. "What're you doing here, Colonel Flame?" he hissed, his voice coming dangerously close to a tone somewhat similar to the snarl that had earlier emitted from the thief's throat. "We promised them we would let them go if they have us answers."

"And you got your answers," the Colonel said smugly. "However, I still need to get mine." He gave the two thieves a narrowed glance. "They'll have to be taken in for questioning."

The taller thief—Ever, the shorter one had called her—made an odd noise that sounded eerily feral as it growled behind her wolf mask. She had backed up even farther into the alley, her spine nearly pressed to the back wall. Ed couldn't see her expression due to the mask she wore, but he suspected that it was one of panic.

"Why are we being questioned?" The younger girl was positively bristling with anger, mask turned towards the Colonel. Ever had referred to her as Katya, if Ed remembered correctly. "Leave us alone!"

"You have stolen goods from different people on more than sixty different accounts," the Colonel said. "And even if you weren't thieves, I would have to take the chimera into custody." His onyx eyes drifted to Ever, who had gone completely still.

"Chimera?" Al echoed. "But she can't be—" He broke off. Ed knew that he was recalling the wolfish snarling noises that the taller girl had made when she had been pinned down. Ever's hands had clenched into fists, her whole body shaking.

"I must ask you two to remove your masks," the Colonel said grimly. "Or we will remove them by force." He stepped forward, making Katya skitter a few steps back until she was almost right beside Ever. "_Now_."

There was a pause. Katya turned to look at Ever, as if waiting for instructions. There was an anxious pause as the taller girl straightened.

"Fine." The word was clipped and snappy, jolting through the air as Ever reached up to tug at the straps that kept her mask attached to her face. Her shorter companion paused for a moment, as if contemplating the matter, then reached up to undo her own straps.

The masks fell.

Ever walked slowly forward, her form lightening as she stepped out of the shadows and into what little sunlight reached the alley. Katya soon followed suit, eyes narrowed into slits.

Ed and Al stared.

One of Ever's eyes was completely normal, the icy blue staring them down angrily, but as she turned to glare at the Colonel, her other eye was revealed to the two brothers. It was an odd golden-hazel color, looking almost as if the iris was surrounded by black instead of white. Ed recognized it as an eye similar to that of a wolf's, but that couldn't be. He had never seen a chimera that had that kind of trait.

Ever flicked a strand of dark brown hair behind her ear, gazing defiantly at the Colonel. Katya stood a little behind her, glaring at the small group of state alchemists. The younger girl's dark blue eyes seemed almost apprehensive.

"You reek of secrecy," Ever said suspiciously. "If you take us in for questioning, what're you going to do to us afterwards? And don't lie," she snapped before the Colonel could reply. "I'll know if you do."

The black-haired man raised his eyebrow skeptically. "I'm afraid that's none of your business—"

"With all due respect, sir…" The blond woman standing behind him as speaking, keeping her gun out but glancing at the Colonel with exasperation. "They do have certain rights to know at least some of the information."

The Colonel huffed irritably, dark eyes narrowing. "I suppose." Turning to the two thieves, he spoke with forced amiability. "We'll explain at Central headquarters. We can promise you that no harm will come to you or your companion." His eyes drifted to Katya before added, "That is, if you cooperate."

Ed watched as the two girls exchanged an odd glance, seeming to convey their emotions through their eyes. Katya's eyes were wide, as if she was trying to direct as much of some kind of thought into her gaze as she could. Ever stared back with a placid calmness that unnerved Ed. If he were a thief, he would've just knocked everyone out and gotten the hell out of there. The thought made him stiffen, hands clenching. What if they were planning something?

Ever turned to look at the Colonel. "We'll go with you," she said. "But make one wrong move, and I'll snap your sorry neck."

The Colonel smirked. "Aren't I supposed to say that?" He turned with a wave of his hand. "Come on. The car's this way."

* * *

Ever sat across from the dark-haired man, arms crossed. She could feel the anxiety coming from Katya in waves, not to mention the obvious resentment that the man and the short boy had for each other. She shifted uncomfortably, the emotions setting her canine aspects on edge.

The onyx-eyed man was going through some papers, the blond woman standing resolutely behind him. Ever would guess from his air of arrogance and confidence that he was a state alchemist, as well as someone of a somewhat high rank. It would explain the large amounts of paperwork strewn around his desk and the fact that the golden-haired boy had called him "Colonel".

The man shuffled around a few more documents, ignoring everyone else in the room completely, before the short state alchemist spoke. He was leaning against the wall next to the hollow suit of armor, glaring at the Colonel. "Well? Get on with the questioning! That's what you brought them here for, right?"

"He's going to watch?" Katya yelped. She glanced at the Colonel, looking nervous. "What kind of questions are you going to ask?"

The man set down the papers he held in his hands. "Fullmetal will not be witnessing this questioning," he said calmly. "I must ask him and his brother to leave."

Ever observed the armor. Of course, she thought. She had remembered that the armor had called the blond alchemist "Brother" when the two had cornered her and Katya. Their body language also suggested that they were close; Ever suspected that they were very attached to each other.

"What?" The golden-haired boy was fuming. "But we need more information! She knew about Al's body! I want to know how she found out!"

"Brother, calm down…" The armor—Al—was trying to placate the shorter boy's anger. "We can ask them later…" There was something about the way he talked to his brother that confused Ever. The armor was acting as if he were the younger brother…

"So _you're_ the older brother..." she mused, gazing at the state alchemist. The realization amused her slightly, but she made sure not to let it show on her face. The strong anger that constantly wafted off of the boy made her wary of his temper.

"_Who're you calling a tiny little pipsqueak that you can't even see behind a sunflower seed?!_" Al struggled to hold his older brother back, scolding him in an alarmed tone. It took a minute or so for the short blond to calm down, but when he did, he stared at Ever resentfully. "How'd you know?"

Ever raised one shoulder in a half shrug. "Just the way you two act and speak to each other." The boy scowled, but didn't reply.

"Shall we get on with the questioning?" the Colonel interrupted impatiently. "You two may talk—or argue—later, but for now, Fullmetal, you must leave." His eyes narrowed as the golden-haired alchemist opened his mouth to protest. "Now."

The boy opened and closed his mouth for a few more seconds before storming to the wooden doors and kicking them open with a clank of his automail leg. Ever winced at the dark clouds of petulance and resentment wafting off of him as his brother scurried nervously after him.

Bang. The doors slammed shut.

"My, my," Katya remarked mildly. "Quite the temper. And you've been dealing with this for—how long?" She gave the Colonel a cheeky glance. The dark-haired man looked ruffled, but didn't reply to the young girl.

Ever scratched behind her ear with one hand, feeling enormously awkward. She couldn't say that she felt bad for the temperamental pipsqueak, but she'd definitely get hell from him later. _Ah, well_. She sighed, letting her hand fall.

"Well, let the questioning begin." The Colonel fixed his piercing gaze on her, eyebrows drawn together. "We have several questions about you two and your pasts, thieves." She glanced down at the documents in his gloved hands. "More than several, actually."

"Alright…" Ever tilted her head, trying to pick up any noise or activity outside the doors. Other than the guns of two guards, none of her senses could pick up any metal. Relaxing, she focused on the Colonel. "First question?"

"Full name?" The Colonel held a long cartridge pen poised above the surface of a blank sheet of paper, preparing to write.

"Ever Kellan."

"Katya. I don't have a last name, and I don't know if I ever did."

The Colonel squinted at Ever, making her shift uncomfortably. Waves of some odd feeling were coming from him, like he had just put a large jigsaw puzzle together and was looking at the final product. "Kellan," he breathed. "You're the result of the incident in Geob."

Every muscle in Ever's body tensed, her wolf side instantly coming on guard. Her scarred hands shook as memories flashed through her head, each one filled with the screams of her loved ones. _God dammit._ Her eyes shut. "I—Yes."

"Who transmuted you into a chimera?" The Colonel's onyx eyes were cold, stony. They stared at her relentlessly, making her hands clench. Beside her, Katya was leaning forward in her chair, obviously ready to leap at the Colonel and the blond woman.

Ever gave Katya a warning look before turning back to the Colonel. "My father." As the words left her lips, her breath hitched. Hatred ran in dark spasms through her body, her canine aspects snapping with resentment and rage. She sucked in large breaths of air to calm herself, sweat beading on her forehead.

The Colonel waited as her breathing slowed, her fisted hands relaxing slightly. Katya watched her anxiously, her azure-blue eyes fixed on her face. "I'm fine," she choked out. "Just—my animal side—really hates him—"

The dark-haired man nodded slowly. "And what kind of chimera are you?" His voice had dropped, as though he didn't want the blond woman standing near him to hear the conversation. The woman, as if reading his body language, leaned away from the trio slightly.

Ever's jaw tightened. "I was joined with a wolf-dog hybrid. But my canine aspects are mostly wolf." Almost instinctively, her hand went up to her face, her fingertips brushing the corner of her hazel wolf eye.

The Colonel eyes seemed brighter, more interested, as he spoke again. "And are there any alterations to your abilities or physical appearance due to your wolf side?"

Ever felt a pang of danger run through her body. She glowered at the onyx-eyed man. She didn't want to tell him anything, but she was so far in this pile of shit already… More harm would be dealt if she refused to answer than if she just complied. Her wolf aspects raged against her, howling and snapping, but she ignored them.

"Well… my eye," she said hesitantly. "My senses are extremely enhanced, and I'm able to detect emotions, even if I sometimes can't identify them." She bit her lip. "That's why I told you I would be able to tell if you lied to me. I guess… I can make sounds like a wolf, too," she added as an afterthought.

Katya grabbed her hand fiercely, squeezing her fingers in her tight grasp. She knew how hard it was for Ever to admit these things, but she also knew she shouldn't oppose the Colonel. Ever could feel the resentment hanging around her, and squeezed her hand back reassuringly.

The Colonel leaned back. "Interesting," he murmured. "And is there anything else?"

Ever froze. Her last ability was the one that she absolutely loathed to share with anyone, much less a smug superior that her wolf side wouldn't even accept as an alpha. She had been complying up until now, but she didn't want to reveal this one ability. "I… No."

The Colonel raised an eyebrow. "'Don't lie'," he mocked in a crude imitation of Ever's voice. His sarcastic tone made her blood boil. "'I'll know if you do'." He smirked at her with a spark of arrogance. "You're not the only one here that can tell if someone's keeping a secret. Out with it, chimera."

Ever bristled with anger, giving him a fierce glare. The man stared steadily back, looking amused. That really rubbed her the wrong way. When adults turned her into a laughingstock, she felt the urge to snap at them and see how smug they looked after their ears were bitten off.

She felt her gums prickling as her teeth began to move, and shook her head quickly to stop the change. Shifting just because she was angry was _not_ a good idea. Her canine aspects still smarted, but she was able to cool her temper.

She eyed the Colonel, contemplating. This could get her in serious trouble, but the Colonel hadn't been lying when he said they wouldn't be harmed if they behaved. The fact that she could retain her human form would also be a large asset. She wasn't really one to lie…

"I can shift into a wolf," she snapped. "Happy?" Her wolf side was instantly on edge as she gauged the Colonel's face, observing his reaction.

His eyes had widened slightly, and the woman, who had evidently heard Ever's snappy admission, was radiating surprise (although she was able to cover it up with a fantastic poker face). The Colonel stared at Ever, eyes narrowed, before he said, "Would you demonstrate for us?"

Katya cringed. She was aware of Ever's hatred for people that thought she could just outright shift, no problem. Ever glared at him with obvious venom in her strange eyes. "No," she hissed vehemently.

The Colonel raised one eyebrow. "And why not?"

Ever felt the waves of anxiety coming from Katya increase dramatically as the words left the Colonel's mouth. Struggling not to lose her temper, Ever clenched her jaw to still her rattling teeth. "I don't want to," she said fiercely. "It hurts."

She almost shuddered as she thought about the excruciating pain of the shift, but the Colonel just looked skeptical. "Why?" Katya let out a small yelp of alarm as Ever's hand clenched dangerously tight around hers.

"You military dogs really are dull," she said cooly. "Please try to rearrange your own entire skeleton and anatomy and tell me it doesn't feel like you're dying." She had let go of Katya's hand and had let her hands clench into fists again, feeling her fingernails dig into her scarred palms.

The Colonel jerked at her snarky comment, but didn't respond. He glared at her stonily, irritation hanging around him in dark clouds. "Look, chimera. I can try to cover this up as much as I can, but you know just as well as I do the severity of the crimes you committed at the Geob incident."

Ever cringed at the bloody memories, her hands twisting together as her anxiety heightened.

The man continued. "But if we get proof that you are able to retain and control your human side, we can convince the higher-ups that you won't repeat what happened two hears ago." He fixed his onyx eyes on hers. "Do you understand? We just need you to show us that you can control your feral form."

Ever let her gaze fall, considering. It'll hurt like hell… But I don't want to get Katya in trouble because of something I did. Her eyes narrowed. She definitely loathed the decision, but… "I'll do it."

Katya made an odd choking noise. "Ever!"

Ever dismissed her with a harsh stare. "I don't want trouble, Katya. We have to listen to what they tell us to do." She met the Colonel's eyes. "Although I sure as hell don't want to." Her companion shrunk back, ocean blue eyes wide with horror. "I'll be fine, alright?" Ever tried to give the younger girl a smile, but she knew it was hollow.

She stood, backing up a bit so she was a good distance away from the desk where everyone else sat. "You might want to tell your guards outside not to shoot if they hear screaming."

The Colonel raised an eyebrow, but called out, "Stand down if you hear anything. We're fine." When there was a positive response, he nodded to Ever. "Get on with it, chimera."

Ever took a deep breath, reaching out for her wolf side. Her feral aspects embraced her, and her fingers began to twitch, her body tingling.

No, burning.

Her skeleton was on fire. She was dying, she was dying, someone was screaming but she didn't know who—

Her vision was blurring, just clear enough to see the terror on the Colonel's face, and then everything was gone—

And reality

melted

away.

* * *

**This chapter was _so_ rushed, it makes me want to cry.**

**Just—_ew_. I'm so sorry that you guys had to read that! OOC and Mary Sue is everywheeeeere-**

**Ugh. Hopefully, future chapters will be better. **

**Still trying to make these things longer, though. :/**

**Please follow, favorite, and leave a review! Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated!**

**Thanks!**

**~Loree**


	3. fιиαℓ συтcσмєѕ

**disclaimer: I think that we all know that FMA Brotherhood would be a huge hot mess of Mary Sues and terrible plotlines if I owned it**

* * *

Alphonse sat anxiously on the stone steps, watching his brother pace angrily while muttering under his breath. After the Colonel had kicked them out to talk to the two thieves, Edward had let loose a long and continuous chain of what Al thought was every single swear and curse word he knew. He might've covered his ears, if he had any.

Of course, Al was worried, too. The older girl, the chimera, had known about his body—or lack thereof. A dangerous being—and a potentially dangerous criminal as well—knew one of his and Ed's biggest, most protected secrets. It was enough to make anyone feel stressed, and Alphonse knew his brother felt especially responsible; that was just the kind of person Ed was.

And it wasn't just her knowledge that made him uneasy. What kind of past, what kind of trauma—what would make anyone carve transmutation circles into their palms and the soles of their feet? He knew of alchemists who had intricate circles tattooed onto their hands, but never had he heard of someone intentionally cutting circles into their skin. The thought terrified him.

But Al had never been one to pace or walk off his anxiety, and the constants taps of Edward's black boots on the concrete were making him antsy. In his opinion, it was better to just sit down and wait it out, but of course his brother wouldn't listen to reason.

"Brother, calm down. They said we could talk to her later," Alphonse reminded the golden-haired boy. He was glad that his metal body wasn't very prone to cringing when Ed whirled around to face him, face twisted with anger.

"Who knows if Colonel Bastard is going to keep his promise? What if they get thrown into prison before we can even talk to them?" He began pacing again, both hands on his forehead as he groaned. "God dammit, I want to know. How the hell did she become a chimera? How does she know about your body?"

"Even if she gets arrested, I'm sure that they'll let us talk to her," Alphonse said confidently. "There's no point in worrying our feet off now." The latter statement was added on as Al gave his brother a pointed look.

Ed stopped pacing, slumping next to Al with a groan. "I hate that Colonel Bastard… Why couldn't we stay and watch the questioning anyway?" He was scowling fiercely now, elbows on his knees and hands cupping his face. "I don't see why we couldn't just, you know, listen to what they were going to say."

Al had shifted on the stone step, about to answer, when the first scream pierced the air.

He jumped up immediately, feeling panic surge through him. "Brother!"

Edward leaped to his feet, turning to stare up at the building while swearing uncontrollably. "Dammit, I knew we should've stayed! Al, come on!" The two brothers bounded up the stone steps and into the building as quickly as they could, darting towards the room where the questioning was supposed to be taking place.

But something was confusing Al.

Why was no one else doing anything?

The guards walking up and down the steps, standing in all the hallways, and even stationed outside the door where the screams were emitting from; none of them were reacting. Many of them looked very strained and irritable, sure—but none of them were making a move.

He turned his metal head to mention this to Ed, but his impulsive brother had already kicked open the wooden doors, charging into the room.

With a small gulp—if a large suit of armor could even gulp—Alphonse followed him into the room.

* * *

Edward stared at the sight in front of him, feeling bile rise in his throat. He was numb, his limbs frozen in place. All he could do was gape at the huddled form on the floor.

Another shriek of pain jerked from the figure as its body twisted with a series of snaps—the unmistakable sounds of cracking bones.

As he managed to wrench his eyes away from the jerking creature, he met his brother's glowing gaze. If a suit of metal armor was even capable of looking horrified, Al used that ability to its full capacity. The terror that was echoed in his eyes sent a protective jolt through Ed, sending his senses rushing back to him.

"Hey!" He started forward, his narrowed eyes on the Colonel's pale face. "What the hell is…" His voice trailed off.

Edward had never, in his life, seen the Colonel's face look so fearful. He let his golden gaze move back to rest on the odd creature on the floor—but it wasn't an unidentifiable figure anymore.

A large wolf stood in the middle of the room, tail lifted and teeth bared.

Its brown-black fur bristled as it snarled and stepped forward, eyes turned in Ed's direction. He felt as if someone was choking him, cutting off his breathing, when he saw the wolf's eyes.

One was a normal golden-amber.

The other was a pale, icy blue.

It was Ever. The chimera.

"You—who—how did this happen to you?" His tongue felt thick and heavy as he spoke. Memories flashed through his mind, of another girl, but he forced them down. "Who transmuted you into a chimera?"

The wolf's snout twisted into something that could almost be identified as a grim smile. "And why should I tell you?" Its voice was rough and slow, with a frightening feral trait, but it was unmistakably the voice of the thief.

"We just want to know who did this to you," Alphonse murmured softly. "Please?"

The wolf threw its head back, an odd bark of what sounded like laughter escaping its jaws. "Pity," it growled, once it had recovered. "You two reek of it." It narrowed its eyes at them, lowering its head in a gesture that was meek, yet threatening.

"My father and I never had a particularly close relationship."

It confused him for a a moment—what did that comment have to do with anything? But the pieces slowly clicked together in his mind, presenting him with the gruesome picture.

Edward was frozen.

_Nina._

_High-pitched laughter. Dark brown braids. Bright, young eyes._

_"Ed… ward…"_

Dead.

"Ever!" The voice pierced his thoughts, making him blink and stagger backwards. The chimera's companion, the younger girl with the pale blond hair, was running towards the wolf, leaving the Colonel and the Lieutenant behind the desk.

The Colonel was opening his mouth, his face strained, as if he were about to warn the girl. But she had already reached the wolf, standing beside it defiantly.

"She's not dangerous!" She looked fierce, her angling her body so that she could glare at everyone staring at them. "She's always protected me! Don't you dare take her away! I won't let you experiment on her!" Despite her determined expression, her voice was thinly veiled with terror as she met the dark gaze of the Colonel; it was obvious that she thought they were going to harm her companion.

The Colonel locked his onyx eyes with the wolf's, frowning. The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, and Ed could feel the tension in the room rising to an unspeakably high point. He was just about sure that the Colonel was going to turn the wolf in when he raised his right hand, a silent order for the Lieutenant to lower her gun. "Stand down."

Everyone relaxed considerably, although the uneasiness remained. The wolf—Ever—was glaring at Edward and Alphonse, her odd eyes narrowing balefully as her slender nose twitched. She seemed to be inspecting them, her ears pricked and her tail low. It made him strongly uneasy, and he could tell from Al's uncomfortable shifting that he felt the same way.

"Um—" Alphonse was speaking, sounding nervous. "Uh—I'm sorry we kinda barged in, um—" He sounded beyond flustered and embarrassed, and even looked it—if possible, Al was probably the only one who could portray emotions through a suit of metal armor.

The Colonel let out a long-suffering sigh, setting Edward's nerves on edge. "I suppose I won't punish you two. But if any of this doesn't remain confidential, you will suffer extreme consequences, do you understand? One word of this gets to the higher-ups, and the chimera will be forced to go to a laboratory."

The thought twisted Ed's stomach, but Ever snarled. "Try to take me, and I'll rip out your throat."

Mustang raised an eyebrow, and lifted his hand warningly. Lieutenant Hawkeye had reached for her shotgun, eyes narrowed dangerously. "Lieutenant, restrain yourself."

Ed decided to speak up, making a skeptical face. "What about all that screaming? I wouldn't be surprised if half of Central heard it." The shrieks of pain had indeed been eerily haunting and frightening, and they would definitely raise suspicion in the mind of anyone who heard them.

Colonel Mustang smirked. "I'm not famous for being particularly merciful during interrogations," he said smugly. "People will believe me if I say that she needed some convincing." His eyes drifted over to the dark-furred wolf. "By the way, could you shift back into a human? Military higher-ups might be arriving soon."

The younger girl—Katya, Ever had once called her—let out an unintelligible grumbling noise. The recent question seemed to have irritated her immensely, which confused Edward, and the wolf chimera also seemed somewhat flustered. "Can't," Ever said slowly. "At least, not if you don't give me some new clothes and a room."

Her sharp eyes drifted to the shreds of cloth on the floor—they had all been ripped during the shift. Only a hooded jacket remained intact. "I can't transmute new clothes in this form."

Everyone was silent.

"Well, then," Mustang managed. "Lieutenant, do you think you could find some clothes that look her size? No military uniforms."

Lieutenant Hawkeye looked mildly amused at the red faces of all the men in the room (that is, the faces of Mustang and Ed—Al couldn't blush), but nodded resolutely with a "Please be careful, sir."

* * *

Ever sat tiredly on a soft couch, her limbs aching.

Her wolf form, being more pain-resistent, was rarely sore after she shifted. It wasn't like her canine aspects couldn't feel pain—they were just more resilient in general.

Her human side, however, was a different story. Shifting twice within an hour had really taken it out of her; she just wanted to curl up and pass out, regardless of the consequences.

But that would be a bad idea, considering the situation, so she forced her keen senses into a high alertness as she gazed silently at everyone sitting across from her.

Thankfully, the only sound she had made during the second shift was a low growl, barely audible, so there was less suspicion in the air. She had been given a plain t-shirt and cargo pants, and she wore her familiar jacket with a small pang. _Is it even possible to feel homesick for your own clothes?_ she thought wryly.

_Ah, well. _She could probably just collect the scraps and transmute a new garb later.

Katya, wary as ever, sat to her left with an azure glare. Ever knew that she had taught the younger girl much of that paranoia—when they had first met and become companions, Ever had drilled it into her head. Always be on edge.

_"You never know who you can trust, Kat."_

_"Except for you."_

She reached out, tapped the crook of Katya's elbow two times reassuringly. There was much shock and anxiety in the air, but there was no trace of a lie. Her canine side had calmed; her senses were slightly disturbed from all the stress, but no wariness or dangerous foreboding stirred within her.

The blond girl relaxed considerably, though she still shot the Colonel a hostile glance. Katya was almost as protective of Ever as Ever was of her—it sometimes surprised and even amused the older girl when she got angry on her behalf. But she was grateful for her younger companion's concern; she couldn't deny that it felt comforting to know someone cared about her.

The Fullmetal Alchemist, sitting on the couches across from her with his brother, was staring at her. Odd emotions radiated from him—regret, grief, longing, sadness. The whole mix of feelings somewhat reminded her of a depressing nostalgia, although she couldn't imagine why she would trigger a sad memory. _Odd_, she thought.

"Now," the Colonel began. The dark-haired state alchemist was sitting quite a ways away from them, situated once more at his large, paper-strewn desk. The blond woman—his Lietenant—stood at guard behind him, her alert hazel eyes staring straight ahead.

"We have somewhat legitimate proof that you can control your other form," he elaborated, his chin lowered onto his interwoven fingers. "By normal protocol, I should report this whole thing and have you shipped off to a laboratory. However," he added, seeing Ever's body tense, "I will make an exception."

Ever was relieved, although her canine aspects were still slightly ruffled. "Why?"

The Colonel observed her with an arch expression. "You are human. More so than any chimera I have ever seen." A cold smile flitted across his face. "And I daresay that your little friend and Fullmetal would slit me from head to heels if I abided by the rules."

Ever blinked with surprise. The short boy was, indeed, letting off a large amount of tense wariness. And it baffled her. With a narrowed look at the golden-haired alchemist, she said, "'And Fullmetal?' Why would you care?" It was a rightful question—she was completely certain that she had never met the boy in her life, and it wasn't exactly like she cared about him. He'd gotten her and Katya into this whole mess, after all.

The boy glared at the ground, his hands curling into fists as they rested on top of his knees. Ever waited for a response, but there was none. _Well, that's weird,_ she thought musingly. _I can't think of a particular reason why I would give remind anyone of another person. Maybe we looked alike, or something. _She was curious, of course, but she knew when not to ask questions. The pain coming off of the golden-eyed boy was enough to deter her.

However, she couldn't say the same for her companion. "Care to elaborate?" Katya said in a hard tone. "We've never even seen you or met you before. Why would Ever remind you of anyone?"

Ever winced. Although her own temper could rise to much higher heights than the younger girl's, Katya was still much more impulsive in general—and, of course, lacked Ever's empathetic ability to read body language and sense emotions. She had probably noticed the boy's tense posture, but hadn't associated it with grief or memories.

The boy's face had darkened, his negative air setting Ever's wolf side on edge. He opened his mouth, as if he were about to shoot back an equally harsh retort, but he was saved by the empty suit of armor—his younger brother, she reminded herself. She still had yet to become accustomed to picking up emotions and auras from a hollow shell of metal.

"We don't mean anything bad!" he said, waving his steel arms quickly in a nervous gesture. "It's just—we used to know a little girl named Nina. She was… a lot like you. Her situation, I mean."

Katya looked bemused, but Ever was frantically processing the response in her mind. _Situation?_

"She's a chimera, too?" she said, astonished. She hadn't heard of anyone who had been able to create biological transmutation circles as complex as her creator's had been. If she had been forced into her body as well—

"Where is she? Can I meet her?" Her voice sounded desperate, even to her own ears, but she needed to know. She had never even remotely considered the fact that there might be someone out there who could relate to her own experiences and emotions—if someone had gone through the same things as her, she might be able to…

But the two brothers had saddened, their auras turning dark. "She was killed," the Fullmetal Alchemist whispered hoarsely. "And she couldn't—she didn't have a humanoid form, like you do. She—" He cut himself off, his whole body shaking. It was obvious that he had been close to the girl.

Despite herself, Ever couldn't keep disappointment and depression from making her heart sink. Who would murder a little girl like that—no matter what shape or body she had been in? What a sickening thought. Her hands began to tremble.

"Ever…" Katya looked anxious, but the chimera waved her off.

"It's okay." She glanced at the Colonel, odd eyes narrowed. "Right. What's your little 'exception'?" She had to keep her weak composure from entering her voice. As much as she hated it, the information she had just received had shocked her down to her core, her wolf aspects snapping uneasily. She had to clench her jaw in order to keep her teeth from sharpening.

The Colonel raised an eyebrow at her short tone, but continued in a smooth voice. "I could release you and your companion, but on one condition." He moved his onyx gaze to the short, blond boy's, expression infuriatingly blank. "Fullmetal and his brother would have to be your guards. You'd have to accompany them, and the other way around. They would be in charge of making sure you don't run off."

Silence. Then— _"What?"_

Fullmetal was bristling with surprise and irritation, his shoulders twitching with his aggravation. "We have to drag them around with us?" he shouted, jabbing a finger towards the two girls in question. Apparently, his earlier depression had dissipated. "No way! They'll just slow us down! Al and I don't need anyone dragging us down on our goals!"

Ever couldn't keep a low growl from coming from her throat at the last exclamation, and Katya leapt to her feet. "Are you saying we can't take care of ourselves?" she said vehemently, azure eyes flashing. "I lived alone as an orphaned beggar for over a year—and Ever was alone for even longer, with those wounds on her hands and feet! I bet you think your past is so tragic—_but you have no idea what we've gone through_—"

"Katya!" Ever said sharply. "Calm down, _please_." The pale-haired girl stiffened, but sat primly next to her once more. She still radiated anger, the force of it making Ever tense. But she turned to the two brothers across from them, lips pressed together.

"We won't slow you down," she said quietly, looking the older brother in the eyes. "We've had to survive with no families for a long while—and we never had the military to support us. My canine side gives me automatic survival instincts, and Katya's almost as experienced in self-defense as I am." Her wolf eye glinted. "It's your choice, but I'd personally rather not be dissected by scientists, and there's no way I'm getting separated from Kat."

The golden-haired boy jerked, nose wrinkling. "I—" He snarled with frustration, turning to the armor beside him. "Al, what do we do?"

His brother, if it was possible, made the armor's helmet look solemn and serious. "We should take them with us, Brother," he said determinedly. "It's all your choice, but I don't want to just leave them to be taken away."

Fullmetal's forehead wrinkled with thought, his arms crossing moodily as he slumped backwards onto the couch cushion. Ever held her breath, her wolf tense with anticipation. What would he say? Even if she pretended to be stoic, worry still flared within her. _What if he says no?_

A single word pierced the air, sullen and angry.

"_Fine_."

* * *

**Ack!**

**I'm sorry that it took me so long to update, but with school starting up, all of he new chapters for this story might be completed within months of each other. :/ I'll try to pre-write some chapters for the future, but I'm just not very sure.**

**Also, PLEASE READ THIS: THE PLOTLINE OF THIS STORY IS A MIX OF THE FIRST ANIME AND BROTHERHOOD! It is, dominantly, Brotherhood, but some things have changed—for example, the boys met Nina _before_ Ed became a state dog. That's the only thing I've altered for now, but you never know. Sorry if there's any confusion!**

**I'm also trying to get a more… _fitting_ cover into the works. [ahahaha] It might take me a while to finish drawing it, but please anticipate a cover of our lovely Ever as a wolf in maybe a month or so!**

**Also: some more FMA fanfiction ideas and a possible vignette collection have been thrown around, but they're still under construction! I'm currently working on one specific story, so I'll let you guys know if I finally decide to put it up!**

**Thank you for reading my story; please follow, favorite, and leave a review! Constructive criticism is always welcome and appreciated!**

**~Loree**


	4. P L E A S E R E A D ! !

**hey, guys!**

**I know I've been really inactive lately, but there's a reason!**

**I feel like this fanfiction is way too dull. The idea is just overused, and I hadn't thought out the characters' back stories and personalities enough before starting the story. I need time to work out the plot, etc.**

**So I'm rewriting the story completely. It will be a His Dark Materials/FMAB crossover, and an OC-insert. The FMAB universe will essentially be the same, but everyone has dæmons. That's all I'm revealing for now.**

**I don't know how long this rewrite is going to take. Three months? Six? A year, even? It all depends on the amount of time I'll have in the future, as well as general inspiration to write.**

**I'm going to leave the current version of Wolf Blood up, and when the new version is uploaded, it will be published as a whole new story. So please look out for that, and don't unfollow or un-favorite! I'll try to make the new version as awesome as I possibly can! UvU**

**Thank you guys so much for your patience!**

**~Loree**


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